Chet Atkins, Les Paul - Chester & Lester

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:03
Size: 116,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. It's Been A Long, Long Time
(4:43) 2. Medley: Moonglow/Picnic (Theme from "Picnic")
(3:17)  3. Caravan
(3:32)  4. It Had To Be You
(3:12)  5. Out Of Nowhere
(6:31)  6. Avalon
(3:04)  7. Birth Of The Blues
(3:20)  8. Someday Sweetheart
(2:30)  9. Deed I Do
(2:41) 10. Lover Come Back To Me
(2:19) 11. The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise
(2:48) 12. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
(3:15) 13. Caravan - alternate version
(5:16) 14. Medley: Moonglow/Picnic (Theme from "Picnic") - rehearsal version

After eight years away from the microphones, Les Paul joined forces with country music's Chet Atkins in a marvelously relaxed, tasty session of cross-cultural jamming. The sound of the backup band may be Nashville country, but the tunes, mostly drawn from Paul's repertoire, are jazz and pop standards ("Caravan," "It's Been a Long, Long Time," "Avalon," etc.). Both players improvise, duel and converse with the spontaneity of jazz always in the air and unlike almost all of Les' recordings since 1947, there is no overdubbing except on "Caravan" and "Lover, Come Back to Me." You won't have any problem telling Chester and Lester apart on these tracks; Les' bright, almost metallic sound and twirling, yet now more economical flurries are a world away from Chet's mellow fingerpicking, lightly tarted with echo. Yet the two styles play brilliantly off each other; one potent example occurs as Chet superimposes the theme from "Picnic" from his repertoire over Les' statement of "Moonglow." A lot of the between-takes session chatter is intentionally left in, with Les's hotfoot voice trading quips with Chet's Tennessee drawl. On "Avalon," heard in two consecutive takes at different speeds, the dialogue is particularly funny, as Atkins mockingly tries to browbeat his old idol. This album (now on CD) had the effect of putting Les Paul well on the road toward canonization by young rock guitarslingers who noticed his name on Gibson instruments. Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/chester-lester-mw0000608766

Personnel: Chet Atkins – guitar; Les Paul – guitar; Randy Goodrum – piano; Larrie Londin – drums;  Ray Edenton – guitar; Henry Strzelecki – bass;  Bob Moore – bass

Chester & Lester

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Chet Atkins and Les Paul - Chester and Lester Guitar Monsters

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:17
Size: 80,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. Limehouse Blues
(3:42)  2. I Want to Be Happy
(2:41)  3. Over the Rainbow
(2:34)  4. Meditation
(3:00)  5. Lazy River
(3:48)  6. I'm You Greatest Fan
(2:59)  7. It Don't Mean A Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:04)  8. I Surrender Dear
(2:41)  9. Brazil
(2:52) 10. Give My Love to Nell
(3:01) 11. Hot Toddy

The seventies were bountiful years for guitar fans. Looking now at Guitar Player magazines of the period, it's almost dizzying to see how many veteran guitarists were doing some of their most interesting and liberated work. Bop stalwarts, blues greats (often obscure), and notable country pickers were all well-represented on vinyl throughout the decade, on a variety of labels. Chet Atkins, whose easy listening country guitar records (all on RCA) were too often tasteful to a fault, came out of his shell a little more than usual in that decade, cutting great duet records each with thumbpicking idol Merle Travis and the brilliantly pyrotechnical Jerry Reed. But his most commercially successful pairing was with Les Paul, the Thomas Edison of electric guitar, whose fifties hits were landmark masterpieces both of recording technique and guitar arrangement. Their 1976 Chester & Lester (RCA Nashville/Legacy) was a sloppy, rambling tiptoe through a set of standards replete with studio chatter. It got by on its considerable charm, and won a Grammy (Best Country Instrumental Performance), despite there not being anything on it that was country music. Its success warranted a followup, and Guitar Monsters was it. Fortunately, it includes less chatter, and the performances are more focussed. Atkins and Paul are quite a study in opposites. Atkins' neat, orderly thumbpicking collides happily with Paul's gregarious, even joyously vulgar soloing. Where Paul is not afraid to be sloppy, Atkins is pristine at every turn, even as he takes a few single note soloing turns that for him are unusually extroverted, even showy. From the first note, it's evident that these two men love each others' playing and take real joy in the back-and-forth. The tunes are, as on their first recording together, all standards, save for two needless comedy numbers. Opening with "Limehouse Blues" (with Atkins doing some of his finest playing), we immediately are clued into Monsters' intent: a bunch of standards as lighthearted blowing vehicles for two complementary but highly contrasting guitar icons. Things stay mostly mid-tempo, although there's a straight ballad reading of "Over The Rainbow" that spotlights some gorgeous chordal work from Atkins. Special mention should be made of bassist Joe Osborne, whose playing throughout is understated and deep in the pocket. (Chris Morris' liner notes are breezy and very smart, perfect to the music they describe.) This isn't adventurous the way Coltrane At Birdland is adventurous, but it's such an enjoyable disc, one whose best moments are hard to resist. For guitar mavens, it's a joyous truffle. ~ Skip Heller https://www.allaboutjazz.com/guitar-monsters-chet-atkins-and-les-paul-real-music-review-by-skip-heller.php

Personnel: Chet Atkins: guitars; Les Paul: guitars; Joe Osborne: bass; Buddy Harman, Larrie Londin, Randy Hauser: drums

Chester and Lester Guitar Monsters

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Chet Atkins - Teen Scene

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:49
Size: 61.4 MB
Styles: Nashville country guitar
Year: 1963/2015
Art: Front

[2:22] 1. I Got A Woman
[2:03] 2. Rumpus
[2:00] 3. I Love How You Love Me
[2:20] 4. Alley Cat
[2:18] 5. Back Home In Indiana
[2:11] 6. Walk Right In
[2:20] 7. Sweetie Baby
[1:57] 8. Teen Scene
[1:58] 9. A Little Evil
[2:30] 10. I Will
[2:28] 11. Bye Bye Birdie
[2:16] 12. Susie-Q

RCA Victor's gimmicky "Dynagroove" title translates concretely into a recording process that really delivers the goods. Whether mastered by an "electronic brain" or no, there's phenomenal audio range and superior dynamics on their 1963 stereo LP, TEEN SCENE (LSP 2719). Each studio musician has "presence" and his own spot on the imaginary soundstage, with Chet Atkins' guitar naturally front and center.

On "I Got a Woman," Charlie McCoy's harmonica backing is at the right. He's joined on "Rumpus" by the honking baritone sax of Boots Randolph, and Floyd Cramer's left channel piano. Bottom bass notes on "I Love How You Love Me" are most impressive; a mixed chorus and vibes replace Charlie and Boots at right channel. Atkins takes the melody, Cramer the bass part on "Walk Right In." Tightly set bongos at the right and chorus in the center for this folk hit cover. Randolph joins in later. A really swingin' "Indiana" has Boots honking away on the right, with McCoy joining him later.

The LP's title piece starts with Floyd on left channel Hammond organ, Randolph at the right, with Chet providing phantom center support. Boots and Cramer play in tandem for the coda. Again, deep bass is what's most prominent on "A Little Evil" and "I Will." Randolph has a cool solo on the latter, with Floyd's tinkling chords most noticeable. Electric organ at left with centered chorus singing a bit of the film title to "Bye Bye Birdie." Boots joins in mid-way through. As with all previous cuts, Chet generously shares the spotlight on a cooly-percussive set-closer, "Suzie-Q." Hammond organ at left, Randolph's reed at right; the deepest bass ever heard backs them all. ~Annie Van Auken

Teen Scene mc
Teen Scene zippy

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Chet Atkins - Travelin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:59
Size: 71.0 MB
Styles: Country
Year: 1963/2015
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Wheels
[2:56] 2. Calcutta
[2:12] 3. La Dolce Vita
[3:14] 4. Exodus
[2:33] 5. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[2:14] 6. Naboon Sprint Polka
[2:43] 7. Muskrat Ramble
[2:00] 8. Warm Patat
[2:40] 9. Volare
[2:24] 10. Mossie Se Moses
[2:21] 11. Sweetness
[3:09] 12. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

Besides doing session work and helping to create the Nashville sound while at RCA, guitarist Chet Atkins cut many jazz- and pop-inflected country instrumental albums under his own name. After producing sides for country stars like Don Gibson, Connie Smith, and Eddy Arnold, Atkins would team up with pianist Floyd Cramer, tenor saxophonist Boots Randolph, and other RCA musicians to reel off smooth, but usually engaging, covers of everything from blues and schmaltzy standards to Beatles tunes. While often seen as no more than hokey, easy listening ephemera, Atkins' many sides from the '60s deserve a reassessment. The stellar jazz dates Atkins later did at Columbia may better showcase his jazz leanings, but these RCA discs still have a wealth of quality picking and a good share of top-drawer material. This time out, Atkins showcases music from around the world, mixing in warhorses like "Exodus" and "Volare" with nice surprises like Nino Rota's "La Dolce Vita." Of course, the album has a few overly glib and stiff moments but, in spite of the mire, the playing is always great. And even though it's out of print, Travelin' usually can be found for just a few dollars at your local vinyl emporium. ~Stephen Cook

Travelin'

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Chet Atkins - It's A Guitar World

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:38
Size: 70.1 MB
Styles: Country/Jazz/Pop
Year: 1967/1998
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. What'd I Say
[2:21] 2. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[3:07] 3. Lara's Theme
[2:38] 4. A Taste Of Honey
[2:04] 5. For No One
[2:18] 6. Pickin' Nashville
[3:03] 7. January In Bombay
[2:17] 8. Ranjana
[3:12] 9. Et Maintenant (What Now My Love)
[2:20] 10. 'na Voce
[2:12] 11. Star Time
[2:50] 12. Sempre

This attractive LP from Chester Burton Atkins purports to leap international boundaries, but for the most part, he stays right home in Nashville. Categories certainly go by the boards as Atkins seamlessly translates "What'd I Say" into his fingerpicking language and Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" gets a lovely straight-ahead treatment. There are also then-recent hits from the Tijuana Brass ("A Taste of Honey," "What Now My Love"), a quiet solo rendering of the Beatles' "For No One," and some ventures south of the border. The most intriguing, and certainly most bizarre, international experiment is a brief session with Indian sitarist Harihar Rao, who just happened to be passing through Nashville. "January in Bombay" is really "The Battle of New Orleans" with Rao strumming wildly, incoherently, on the gopi (either Rao had gone avant-garde or, more likely, he avant garde a clue), but then Rao gets some responsive sitar licks going as the track fades. "Ranjana" has a sitar lead with Atkins playing in unison, but the tune is quite Western and the backing is straight Nashville country, with a drone and a solo on one chord by Rao, and another by Atkins in his own countrified idiom. Hey, it was 1967, and India was in, but this fusion really needed a shotgun to make it happen. ~Richard S. Ginnell

It's A Guitar World

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Chet Atkins - Chet Picks On The Grammys

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:01
Size: 98.5 MB
Styles: Country
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Tears
[2:37] 2. Nut Sundae
[2:14] 3. Snowbird
[3:19] 4. I'll See You In My Dreams
[2:17] 5. The Entertainer
[3:16] 6. Caravan
[4:08] 7. Ready For The Times To Get Better
[4:09] 8. Cosmic Square Dance
[3:16] 9. So Soft, Your Goodbye
[4:02] 10. Poor Boy Blues
[4:24] 11. Sneakin' Around
[3:13] 12. Young Thing
[3:18] 13. Jam Man

So many gallons of ink have been spilled singing the praises of Chet Atkins that it's difficult for reviewers to find new ways to describe the quality that made his guitar style so special. There had been other good pickers before Atkins. Merle Travis used a similar style earlier, called "Travis picking," but was also known as the singer of classics like "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette." Joe Maphis, a contemporary of Atkins, worshiped at the alter of speedy licks, trading individual style for "fire on the strings." Atkins' style, both urban and refined, was always identifiable. This was true whether he was playing holiday songs or the Beatles. Chet Picks on the Grammys collects 13 instrumentals that won Grammys between 1967 and 1996. Even over such a long period with disparate changes in production, Atkins' combination of chords and thumb technique remained distinct. There are a number of choice items here and many will be familiar as hits by other artists. "Snowbird" harks back to 1971 and "Ready for the Times to Get Better" to 1981. As though to prove he wasn't just a country boy with a guitar, Atkins also tackles "The Entertainer" and offers a fascinating rendering of Duke Ellington's "Caravan." Chet Picks on the Grammys offers a good overview of Atkins' instrumental work and a fine excuse for reviewers to spill a few more gallons of ink singing the praises of Mister Guitar. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Chet Picks On The Grammys

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Martin Taylor - Portraits

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:34
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Shiny Stockings
(4:59)  2. Like Someone In Love (Solo)
(3:56)  3. Sweet Lorraine
(4:09)  4. I Got Rhythm
(4:49)  5. Why Did I Choose You?
(5:02)  6. My Funny Valentine
(5:12)  7. Do You Know What It Means ?
(4:30)  8. I Remember Clifford
(3:52)  9. Ol' Man River (Solo)
(4:29) 10. Here, There And Everywhere
(3:45) 11. In A Mellow Tone (Solo)
(4:11) 12. My one and only love
(3:58) 13. Kiko
(5:38) 14. Very Early

Taylor's fifth release for Linn combines solo recordings along with a few duets with Nashville legend Chet Atkins and a pair of overdubbed duets. Taylor's fluid, unaccompanied playing makes him the most obvious heir to the legacy of Joe Pass. All of Martin Taylor's recordings for the Scottish label Linn are strongly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/portraits-mw0000080456

Personnel: Martin Taylor, Chet Atkins (guitar).

Portraits

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Chet Atkins - Read My Licks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 96.8 MB
Styles: Country-pop guitar
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Young Thing
[4:09] 2. Mountains Of Illinois
[3:29] 3. After You've Gone
[3:01] 4. Every Now And Then
[4:06] 5. Somebody Loves Me Now
[3:41] 6. Norway (Norwegian Mountain Song)
[4:33] 7. Read My Licks
[3:55] 8. Take A Look At Her Now
[3:42] 9. Around The Bend
[4:34] 10. Dream
[3:48] 11. Vincent

Chet Atkins is one of the most influential personalities to ever come out Nashville. Credited with creating the commercial middle-of-the-road "Nashville Sound," Atkins--a guitar virtuoso as well as a keen-eared record executive--remains at the forefront of the country music scene. READ MY LICKS won him a Grammy in 1995.

Tackling such diverse fare as pop standards and folk rock, Atkins is equally adept at capturing the breezy jazz feel of Johnny Mercer's string-accented "Dream" as he is with a spare, solo interpretation of Don McLean's "Vincent." Incorporating vocal assistance from sweet-voiced Suzy Bogguss and meaty instrumental backing from guitarist Mark Knopfler, fiddler Stuart Duncan and country piano legend Floyd Cramer, Atkins constructs a full spectrum of sound. But it is Atkins' own nimble and intricate fingerpicking that is the true centerpiece here. Country-based, with jazz, blues, pop and classical inflections, Atkins gracefully glides through styles as if he were skating on smooth ice. There is a constant motion when he plays, utilizing the three-finger-style Travis technique, with the melody floating above the booming lower notes. This method makes the solo "Vincent" as full-sounding as any of the more orchestrated tracks. ~AMG

Read My Licks

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Chet Atkins - The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:44
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Country-jazz-pop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Bourree
[4:14] 2. Cosmic Square Dance
[3:17] 3. Wobegon (The Way It Used To Be)
[3:07] 4. Maybelle
[3:49] 5. Dixie McGuire
[3:18] 6. Jam Man
[4:01] 7. Poor Boy Blues
[3:00] 8. Road To Gundaghi Waltzing Matilda
[4:24] 9. Sneakin' Around
[4:34] 10. Dream
[3:30] 11. After You've Gone
[2:57] 12. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:12] 13. Young Thing
[4:05] 14. Imagine
[3:15] 15. So Soft, Your Goodbye

The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years collects 15 tracks from eight albums recorded between 1983 and 1997. While Atkins never fully gives up his country roots, much of this material leans in a definite jazz-pop direction, highlighted by memorable collaborations with Mark Knopfler on "Poor Boy Blues," "So Soft, Your Goodbye," and "I'll See You in My Dreams." Atkins also trades licks with Tommy Emmanuel on "Dixie McGuire" and "Road to Gundaghi/Waltzing Matilda," as well as longtime buddy Jerry Reed on "Sneakin' Around." The selections have been digitally remastered so every tiny musical nuance can be detected, which should no doubt satisfy guitar enthusiasts and Atkins fans. ~Al Campbell

The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years

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Mark Knopfler & Chet Atkins - Neck And Neck

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:18
Size: 87.7 MB
Styles: Country-pop
Year: 1990/2006/2014
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Poor Boy Blues
[3:23] 2. Sweet Dreams
[6:27] 3. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[4:11] 4. Just In Time
[3:16] 5. So Soft, Your Goodbye
[3:24] 6. Yakety Axe
[3:53] 7. Tears
[3:19] 8. Tahitian Skies
[2:59] 9. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:22] 10. The Next Time I'm In Town

Backing Vocals – Vince Hill; Bass – Edgar Meyer, Steve Wariner; Drums – Larrie Londin; Drums, Bass, Keyboards – Guy Fletcher; Fiddle, Mandolin – Mark O'Connor; Pedal Steel Guitar, Resonator Guitar [Pedabro, Dobro] – Paul Franklin. Recorded at CA Workshop & Sound Emporium.

Working with Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler had a rejuvinating influence on Chet Atkins. Knopfler has Atkins moving toward his country roots, but both guitarists still play with a tasteful, jazzy sensibility -- however, Atkins has abandoned the overt jazz fusion pretensions that sank most of his '80s records. With its direct, understated approach, Neck and Neck is the most focused and arguably the most rewarding record Atkins has released. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Neck And Neck

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Suzy Bogguss & Chet Atkins - Simpatico

Styles: Country
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:20
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. In The Jailhouse Now
(3:08)  2. When She Smiled At Him
(4:23)  3. Forget About It
(4:12)  4. Wives Don't Like Old Girlfriends
(3:59)  5. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
(3:26)  6. Two Shades Of Blue
(4:26)  7. One More For The Road
(3:41)  8. I Still Miss Someone
(3:36)  9. You Bring Out The Best In Me
(5:12) 10. This Is The Beginning Suzy

Simpatico is a laid-back, charming duet album with Chet Atkins. The duo covers a lot of ground, beginning with Jimmy Rogers' "In the Jailhouse Now," and running through Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and playing a couple of nice, understated originals. Although it isn't a strict country record there are quite a few pop flourishes scattered throughout it's a charmingly low-key listen.

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine   http://www.allmusic.com/album/simpatico-mw0000121603

Simpatico

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Chet Atkins - Jingle Bell Rock (Special Days)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:01
Size: 71.0 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. The Coventry Carol God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
[1:48] 2. Jingle Bell Rock
[1:48] 3. Jingle Bells
[2:13] 4. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
[2:17] 5. O Come All Ye Faithful
[2:20] 6. White Christmas
[1:54] 7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
[2:47] 8. Winter Wonderland
[2:09] 9. Silver Bells
[2:00] 10. Silent Night
[1:45] 11. The First Noel
[2:27] 12. Little Drummer Boy
[1:12] 13. Deck The Halls
[2:51] 14. Blue Christmas

Jingle Bell Rock (Special Days)

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